European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - August 1, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 26 the stars and stripes saturday August 1, 1987 Monkey s off trappers backs by Bob Blac Salt Lake City api a month ago it Sal Lake trappers arc a group of College players who could t make the major leagues. Now they re the Iii a rag tag Tram thai made i nor. I never believed this could happen a month ago said James Ferguson shortstop from new Haven Conn. Be fore i came Here i was Down in Miami. Not doing anything. Now i m Purl of baseball history the trappers who broke inc 85-year old professional baseball record of 28 straight victories last saturday and wan Irir 29th a Day later have been on the front pages of sports sections across in country. Even during Abc s monday night baseball the third inning score of inc sail Lake Billings mont., game flashed on inc screen with scores from inc major league Parks did you Ever think you d Sec the Day when we d give the Salt Lake Billings score co Host a Michaels jokingly asked Tim Mccarver timing the game. This was the firs into in anybody s memory that we were giving minor league scores during a nationally Tele Vised baseball game said Sieve Hindl. Monday night baseball s statistician. At Dirks Field the class a trappers Home fans lined up Early in the afternoon for tickets to inc record breaking game. Players said they did t think much about the Streak while it was going on but the fans did. Manager Jim Gilligan said inc team could t go out to dinner without some one mentioning inc Streak. Local television stations told of the trappers in their news reports not just in sports coverage. I Dan i like taking Basc bail Home Wilh me said John Leake an infielder from Miami who said the Only Lime head the game on his mind outside inc Park was the Day the club lied the record. It was really weird because building up to it there was t really a lot of pres sure he said. The nigh we tied it it was like there was a Monkey off Ai the Streak which ended with a 7-5loss Al Billings monday night grew longer inc Media attention became Gre air. All of a sudden there was a to Cam Era on our bus. Filming us playing cards Clakr said. It was great. It was Fantas tic. It was the Best thing that could have happened to Gilligan Lold the players before inc season thai they were in Salt Lake for two reasons to win and gel picked up by a major league club. Lake said the trappers still want Towin inc division and league title. Gilligan the Salt Lake trappers celebrate after their record breaking 1j-3 Victory at Home nver the Pocorello giants. Said several players have been contacted by major league teams and a couple whom he would not name probably will sign Al season s end. Thai s what it s All about said Catcher Frank Colson. From Louisiana tech. We Don t play for the scouts. Replay for ourselves. You isl have to go out there and play baseball As hard As you can and Lei inc Rusl take care of it Colson is a typical trapper. He excelled in College but he was overlooked in the draft. Yeah it bothers you Colson said of not being drafted. We have some thing to prove. We wan to prove we can it killed Leake said. A cake played College Ball in Miami which won the Mcaa my this Spring Here i am on lop of the world he said. We won the National championship. 1 saw three or four Guys on my team gel drafted and they Don t have half my ability. It look me a while to get Over it but it made me hungrier a cake said. So they signed on with Van Schley when provides players to the unaffiliated trappers first year players earn $500 a month and second year players get $550. Schley who has sold 19 players to major league learns from the last two Salt Lake clubs is using the season lode Elop players. The real enjoyment in this is gelling die Guys signed Schley said it s a great feeling to take these Guys no on else wants to develop them and Sec Ihm have a Chance to go the trappers also have on the Rosier two japanese pitchers. Yasuhiro Hiyam and Koichi Ike us came to sail Lake through an agreement with the Milwaukee Brewers. They definitely add atmosphere tothe club Gilligan said. I Don t think any of these Guys have Ever played wit japanese players who Don l speak English critics say inc trappers arc full of col lege players White inc league s affiliated clubs Are made up mainly of High school players. "1 can appreciate what Salt Lake has done but when you put a group of High school kids up against a team like sail Lake it s unfair Competition said Shel Don chief Bender Cincinnati player personnel director whose club has been affiliated Wilh Billings the past 13 years. Sieve Pearson trappers general Man Ager said sail Lake has had Good teams inc last two years but it won l happen every season. There Are always variables he said the other learns Don l always put their est nine on the Field and we re very motivated meantime the trappers have to be Content Wilh the dream of some Day being listed on a major league roster. It s just the Loyc for the game Short Stop Ferguson said. You go out i Here and play and when you Stop playing you just miss in. It s something Biondi ties own Mark in 50-meter freestyle Fresno Calif. A Matt Biondi tied his own world record in the 50-Meler freestyle thursday with a time of 22.33 seconds at the Long course National championships. Giundi spurted to the finish to hold off a threat from Tom Jager who finished in 22.40. Earlier Matt Cetlinski won his fourth National championship in the 400-Meicr freestyle and Janet Evans took her third title in this car a Eccl. Cetwinski was on a Pace to breathe american record through the firs 3so meters bul faded near the end to finish in 3 49.69. Daniel Jorgenson who holds the american record of 3 49.41, finished third behind sea tuition Cellini i swam faster in his prelim Inary finishing just .02 of a second Over Jorge Seii i Mark. He now has won four of the last five in the 400 freestyle. Evans recorded a 4 08.89 in the women s 400 freestyle defeating american record Holder and 1984 olympic Gold medallist Tiffany Cohen who finished in 4 10.76. Evans a 95-Pound, 15-Iear-old High school Junior from Placentia Calif set a world record of 8 22.4-1 in inc 800-Meicrs freestyle on monday. Shaffer edges Louganis for 1 meter diving Gold Bartlesville of a. A Doug Shaffer defending Champion in the men s a Meier springboard event squeaked past Greg Louganis thursday on his last dive to win inc Gold medal at the . Diving outdoor championships. Kim Fugitt who ook the Silver medal in the women s a Meier springboard Competition wednesday was the lop qualifier thursday in the 3-Meier women s event. Shaffer 2-1, Finis had will 587.40 Mills to earn the Gold while Louganis. 27, look the Silver Wilh 55.93 Ferguson 24. Finished with 539.37 Point s to win the Bronze medal in the Ilia featured 34 divers i just wont out and did my dive Thebes 1 could and i came out on said Shaffer who needed 75 Points to lie Louganis final score going into the last of 11 dives. Shaf a received 76.5 Points on the dive in Elul a Twu a. Louganis who with 41 National lilies will go into the men s 3-Mclcr finals Fri Day and to Meier finals saturday As the lop qualifier said he was Happy with his performance in the 1-meter event. I was pleased with my the contest rss Long in s real hard to May he said of inc event thai lasted More Lilin three Livours. Shaffer s performance thursday earned him a second . Title. He won the indoor ramp Chilion in Vialon Koguc la in april. Fuget. 23. Sacred 4va25 Points on 10 i lives to Tup the told of 42 divers she the National collegiate athletic As Sot Taii Ort Limtt con poll to on earlier Lii year
